Primary health care (PHC) is about the right care, at the right time, right in people’s communities.
Forty years ago the Alma-Ata Declaration first identified primary health care as key to ‘health for all’. On 25 October 2018 world leaders will gather at the Global Conference on Primary Health Care to renew that commitment.
Key to UHC and SDGS
In 2018, PHC is being seen as essential to achieving universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.
PHC is usually the first point of contact people have with the health care system, according to WHO. It provides comprehensive, accessible, community-based care that meets the health needs of individuals throughout their life. This includes a spectrum of services from prevention (i.e. vaccinations and family planning) to management of chronic health conditions and palliative care.
A health system with a strong PHC as its core delivers better health outcomes, efficiency and improved quality of care compared to other models.